Traumatised Sri Lankan cricketers,who were recently attacked in Lahore,have found new calmness after undergoing a stress-relieving session conducted by noted Art of Living teacher Swami Sadyojathah. "Muralitharan found a new calmness while Sangakkara thought the course to be eye-opening and experienced total relaxation," Sadyojathah,an international teacher with Art of Living (AOL),founded by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,said in Mumbai. Sadyojathah,who has been an AOL teacher for the past 16 years,conducted the four-day course recently for the cricket team following a request from Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. "During the course,we did not talk about what had happened. Instead of talking about the past,we focused on how one could learn to calm the mind. We practiced 'Sukshma Yoga','Pranayams' and the 'Sudarshan Kriya'a breathing exercise," Sadyojathah,who returned from Lanka,said. Those who participated in the course held in Sri Lanka,include team captain Kumar Sangakkara,Muttiah Muralitharan,Mahela Jayawardene,Chaminda Vaas,Dilhara Fernando,Prasanna Jayawardene,Tilakaratne Dilshan,Malinga Bandara,Chamara Kapugedera,Paranavtana,the team's manager Brendon Kuruppu and cricket analyst Wing Commander Nalin. "We also had several interesting discussions on techniques to keep the mind in the present rather than the past or the future," he said adding "irrespective of the magnitude of tragedy,what is important is that one moves ahead in life." "After a trauma,an individual feels some kind of relief if she/he talks to someone about it. But it is also necessary to give them something to sustain ahead. Techniques taught during the course help a person to understand and control one's mind through breathing,something that we take for granted," Sadyojathah said. On his experiences with tsunami victims,Sadyojathah,who has been working in Lanka for several years now,said,"Even after losing everything in the tsunami,people could find solace in the breathing exercises. Several of them used to say even though we have lost everything we still have a life to live ahead." The foundation has conducted trauma relief courses with persons in Iraq and Kosovo,he said. "We have the necessary resources in place to conduct courses with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka and are waiting for formalities to be completed in order to be in them," he added.
